Amberglen Retirement Village and Care Centre

Amberglen Retirement Village is affectionately known by its residents as “The Glen”. It is a community of 430 cottages that are owned under Sectional Title.

This is a well-managed village. It is not so small that it cannot provide a variety of amenities and benefits. On the other hand, it is not so large that it appears unfriendly and overwhelming.

Amberglen has a Community Centre, a Care Centre, a Clinic, a Swimming Pool and many other facilities. It is set on 35 ha of gently sloping parkland and gardens. A lake is fed from a wetland. Indigenous woodland is adjacent. Paths have been cut for walkers, and the area is dedicated as a nature reserve.

Early retirement in secure surroundings is becoming increasingly popular. At Amberglen, retired people over the age of fifty-five may enjoy independent and active lives in their autumn years. About 600 people live in the Village. Generally, they have relocated from Durban and the coast or Johannesburg and the Highveld. Some have retired from agriculture in the Midlands. A few have moved from other African countries or from Europe to enjoy the benefits of living in Amberglen.

Many Amberglenians consider the key to a successful retirement is to move early when still active enough to adapt to fresh surroundings, make friends and develop new interests. Research by York University in the U.K. (2006) has shown that living in retirement villages will “promote independence, choice and quality of life for older people.”